Mail-box construction



Nav. 16 192s. 1,607,121 D. A. DORAN MAIL BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 9, 1925 2 Sheets-*Sheet l 44C/ f-y/ 1 111// 5 if 4 INVENTOR /W/ /wmemmm 10 i Bbw 7J ATTORN Y Q sheets-sheet 2 D. A. DORAN MAIL Box coNsTRUcTIoN Filed Nov. 9, 1925 Nov. 16 1926.

INVENTOR azzz//omm' ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 16, 1.926.

DANIELA. ADorian, or YoNKnns, Nmivxonx.`

Y "Mani-Box CONSTRUCTION.

Application led November 9, 1923.1 Serial No. 673,688.

This. invention relates to Inail `boxes and particularly to an 4improved mail kbox construction in whioha plurality of independ` ent and hinged mail boxes are mounted in a box proper, all otsaidboxes being coupled together to form a master door for said boxes, and the object of the invention is to provide a kmail box construction of the class speciiied, the separate boxes Aoit which are detachably mounted in connection with the main box member andfpivotally mounted all yon a common pivot and capable of and independent movement; a further object beingjto provide means cooperating'with allot 'said boxes and in connection with whichfthe separate boxes are locked` yfor moving all of saidboxes together onl the pivot thereofinto open and closed positions to form of all of the box members a masterdoor construction; a further object being to provide a klock ,construction V:tori

in such manner as to form thereof a masterV doorcontrolled by a government lock whereby one master and official key will operate the look to control the admission to all boxes,

as hereinafter more claimed.v A

The invention is ully disclosed in thefollowing specification, of rwhich the accompanyingrdrawing forms'a part, inwhich the fully described and,r

' sepa-rate parts 'of my improvement` are des ignated by suitable vreference characters in? each ofthe views, and in which :#f.A l

Figi is a sectional View through mylimproved mail box construction vindicating.thel method ofits use; f f A Fig. 2 isa face view ofthe mailbox shown in Fig. 1 with part :ofthe construc-` tion broken awayv and in section 4 Y l Fig. 3 is a section `on the line 3 3 ot' Fig-2; Y f l Fig. 4 isa sectional-detail view showing the method of mounting one` of the ylocks which I employ; and,v Y Y l u l Fig. 5 .'is'- a ','detailiviewy of ank attaching plate which,'Iemployy Y i In the drawing Ihaveshown forthe purpose ot illustrating one use otmy'invention a recessV or compartment lOcut inthe wall l1 of a building, `preferablyvin aV hall orvestibule thereof, and at 12 I have shown my improved. kmail lbox construction. vThe mail box comprises a main box member V13- which; is oblong and vrectangular inform and is composed ot top, bottom, side and back walls, and this box is adapted to be placed in Vthe recess 10 secured in position by screws or thelike 14.

Secured to the Ifront lower tudinallythereot is a rod 15 withwhich a plurality of independent mail lboxes 16 are pivotally connected. The mail boxes V16 `are oblong and rectangular in form and are composed of `iront and back' walls 17 and18, side walls 19. and'bottom walls 20. -The bottomand side walls 20 and19ofthe separate boxes are recessed as rshow'nfat 21 to engage. and span the rod v.15 which forms a pivotal connection' of theV boxesrl iny the main box member 13. The side walls of the mail boxes 16 are curved as shown at 22,

and thev'back wallslS extendabovfe therear curved ends22'of the sidewalls 19 as shown at 23 to form stops which limit the'outward movement oi' the mail boxes with reference to the main box member 13.

. kMounted transversely ot'the'main box .member 13 and over the mailboxes 16V isa plate 24:L-shaped in form in cross section,'

one part 25thereof being arranged in the same plane as they front walls 17- of the boxes 16, and the otherfpart 26 `being-directed inf wardly atright angles to the 'part 25 and at the` lower edge thereof,. the part V26V being provided with a vplurality ofapertures 27 throughV or in connection with vwhich the loclrboltsV or latches28 ,by independent locks 29 are ,adapted to operate for Vlockingl theseparate .mail boxes 16- in connection with the plate: 24, VSecuredto the opposite ends ot the plate'24 or to parts 30 bent at right, angles to the part 25 of the plate 24 are side plates3l which are' so formed astofiitjwithin edge portion.v of the box member 13 and extending .longif the side walls of the main boxr meml'ierf13y y and 'the top edges of theplat'e 31 are curved as 'shown' at 32`in Fig. 1 of 'theidrawing,

and the inner top corners `of saidplates are offset as shown at 33 to limit the outward an" Y locked by moving' the plate 24 and `mail boxes vmovement of said plates in the main box member 13. The rod passes through the front lower corner portions ot the side plates 31 as shown at 34 in F ig. 2 ot the drawing to permanently couple said side plates with the main box nieinber'l?) and yet provide for the pivotal coupling oi said plates on the Y. rod 15.

Seeured to the inner tace of the plate 24, or the part substantially centrally thereof, is a plate 35 which may be secured to the plate 24 by spot welding or otherwise and countersunk in the plate are the head ends of screws 36 which project a predetermined y distance beyond the inwardly directed face 'of the plate 35 and .upon which an oilicial "1 key through the. key aperture 41 in the cylinder 40.

The bolt or latch 42 of the look 37 is adapted to operate in connection with an apertured latch plate 43 mounted in con neetion with. the inner :tace of the top wall of the main box member 13 as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, and it will be understood that the latch plate 43 may be formed integral with or secured to the main box member. y

1With my improve-d mail box construction it will be lapparent that the mail box may be installed ina suitable building or compartment provided inthe building, and by reason ot the mounting ot' the lock 37 nwhich is pro- .'vided a properly authorized party may mount in connection vwith the mail box 'con` struction an oi'iicial lock, the keyvof which is to be carried by the postnian or other authorized parties.v ln the delivering ot mail the. lock bolt 42 is moved into inoperative position Aby the operation of the lock by inea-iis 'of the proper key, andthe plate 24 together with all ot'V the mail boxes 16 is swung outwardly as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 ot' the drawing, and the mail to be delivered is insertedin the separate boxes 16, the ownership of which may bel designated by suitablername vplates applied to thev boxes themselves or to a finishing strip 44 surrounding the outer edge of the main box member 13, the name plates being preferably applied to the top transverse. finishing strip. After all of the mail has been inserted in the separate boxes and the box .is closed and .16 bask into the position shown in full lines,

themail in the separate boxes may be removed by the owners of such V'boxes or the parties renting the same'by the use of keys in its closed position and themail is re` moved through the top or open ends of the boxes, the openingsftherein being large enough to facilitate 'the insertion of the hand into the box to remove the mailbu't, if desired, means may be provided tor retain-k ing short orvsmall letters in predetermined position, or the separate boxes may be swung outwardly tosuch an'extent to facilitate the removal of the mail therefrom. y

lt will be noted with my improved construction that I also provide a mail box otV such length and depth `as to receive. all

Vstandardized first-class mail, such asletters,

magazines and the like,and it will also be noted that the front laces ot the boxes 16 are entirely closed or are not provided with the usual or commonly-eniployed apertures or slots through which the mail is passed. (ln the other hand l provide mail boxes each 01"' which constitutes a box member which is closed on all sides and at the bottom and th( top only ot which is open, but when Vsaid boxes are in their normal or closed posit-ionj they are entirely closed and contained within the main box member 13 thus providing` a theft-prooi' and tireproorn mail box construction.

lt will be understood that while l Vhave shown the mail box construction in unit constituting' six independent vmail boxes with means for interlocking said boxes "to form thereof a master door member, any number ot these boxes may be employed in a unit, and on the other hand it a greater number ot boxes are desirable the same may be made up in separate units, each unit containing a predetermined.number ot boxes, and while I have shown and described certaindetails of construction tor carrying my invention into eilect, it will be understood that I am not necessarily limited to these details, and

various changes therein and modifications` thereol'l may be made, within thefscope of the appended claims, without departing trom the spirit ot' my invention, or sacriiicing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention,v desire to secure by.

what l claimv as new and Letters Patent, is r- -1. A mail box coiistruction'otvthe class Y described comprising a main box member, a pluralityv ofindependentmail boxes each of which are niovably mounted in said main .boxmembeig and means tor coupling all of said mail boxes together and for moving' vthe same in a unit relative to the main box inem-- ber. i y

2. A inail box construction of the class derising elongated box members o Jen at tliek -main box member, said `mail boxes compris-Vlr ing elongated box members open at the top thereof only, lock devices for the separate mail boxes, and means for coupling all of said mail boxes together to permit of the movement of said mail boxes as a unit relative to the main box member.`

3. A mail box construction of the class described comprising a main box member, a plurality of mail boxes each of which are movably mounted in connection with the main box member, saidmail boxes com-V top thereof only, lock devices for the separate mail boxes, meansfor coupling all of said mail boxes together to permit of the movement of Said mail boxes asa unit relative to the main box member', and a lock mounted in connection with said last named means and cooperating with the main box member for locking all'of said mail boxes in a closed position and within said main box member.

4. A mail box construction of the class de-V scribed comprising a main box member, aA pluralityof mail boxes each of which are movably mounted in connection with the main box member, said mail boxes comprising elongated Vbox members open at the top thereof only, lock devices for the separate mail boxes, means for coupling all of said mail boxes together to permit of the movementof said mail boxes as a unit relative vto the main box member, a'loclr mounted in connection with said last named means and cooperating with the main box member for locking all of said mail boxes in a closed position and within said main box member,

i contained and means for detachably mounting saidV lock on its support. Y Y

5. A mail box construction of the class described comprising an oblong and rectangular main box member composed of top and bottom, side and baclr walls, a rod mounted transversely of the lower front edge portion of said box member, ya plurality of inde- 1 pendent supplementalbox members pivotally mounted upon said rod and normallyV first named. box

withinA the member.

6. A mail box construction of the class described comprising an oblong and rectangular ymain box member composed of top and bottom, side and back walls, a rod mounted f transversely of the lower front edge portion of said box member, a plurality of independent supplemental box members pivotally ,mounted upon said rod and normally contained within the first named box member, and means for coupling allV of' said supplemental box members together to constitute a unit thereof forming a masteridoor for closing the front open end of the main boxmember.

v7. A Vmail box construction of the class described comprising an ablong and rectangular main boxV member composed of top and bottom, Side and back Walls, a rod mounted transversely of the lower front edge portionof said box member, a plurality of independent supplemental box mem- Y berspivotally mounted upon said rod and normally contained within the first named box member, means for coupling all of saidV f Supplemental box members together toconstitute a unit thereof forming a masterjdoor for closing the front open end of the main box member, a lock mounted in connection with said means and cooperating with the y main box member for.V retaining all of said supplemental box members within the main box member, and each lof said supplemental box members being provided with-a lock cooperating withsaid means for independently locking the separate supplemental box members inl connection therewith.

8. A mail box construction of the class de!V scribed comprising an oblong and rectangular lmainboxmember composed oftop and bottom, side and back Walls, Va rod mounted transversely of the lower front edge portion of said' box member, a plurality .of independent supplemental box members pivotally mounted upon said rod and normally contained within the first named box member, means for coupling all of said supple-p mental box members together to constitute a unit thereof forming a master door for ido closing the front open end of the main box member, a lock mounted in connection with said means and cooperating with the main box member for retaining all of said supplemental box members Within the main box member, and for permitting of the opening of Vsaid 'supplemental box members independent of said means.-

9. .A construction of the class described comprising a casing; a plurality of receptacles open at the top and mounted to tilt into j and out of said casing to be opened and l closedthereby, said receptacles being mountedV for movement simultaneously with or separately from each other; a master lock arrangedvtol lock orrelease all of said re- .ceptacles;- and an individual lock for each receptacle, substantiallyas described.

10. A .construction of the class vdescribed comprising aV supporting member; a plurality of receptacles mounted to move outwardly from said member, and meansV perl n Y mitting the moving of all of said receptacles stantially -as described.

simultaneously or each individually, sub- In testimony that IY-claim the 4foregoing i as my invention I have signed my name this 5th day of November, 1923.

' DANIEL A. DORAN. 

